Which robot arm is best for LeRobot?

The SO-ARM101 ($343) is the cheapest capable option for LeRobot experiments — it ships with native LeRobot dataset support and runs on a single laptop. For higher-quality imitation learning data at a step up in cost, the OpenArm ($6,000) and OpenArm 2 ($7,000) are built specifically for teleop and are designed to work seamlessly with LeRobot v2. The AgileX Piper ($3,100) sits in between and also supports ROS2.

What is the difference between OpenArm 1 and OpenArm 2?

OpenArm (first generation) is an 8-DOF research arm from $6,000 with 2 kg payload and ROS2 support, designed for pick-and-place and teleoperation. OpenArm 2 is the upgraded generation at $7,000 with improvements to wrist design and data-collection ergonomics for contact-rich manipulation. Both ship from San Francisco.

Is the Franka FR3 worth $39,000?

For serious manipulation research that requires torque sensing in every joint, force-controlled contact, and peer-reviewed reproducibility, yes. The FR3 is the reference platform for a large fraction of published imitation learning and policy-learning papers. If your goal is collecting training data or building a demo on a modest budget, start with SO-ARM101 or OpenArm instead.

← Learn / Buying Guide

Robot Arm Comparison 2026

Six arms, five price brackets, one decision. Here's how the research and education arms we actually stock — SO-ARM101, OpenArm 1&2, AgileX Piper, Franka FR3, xArm 6/7, and UFACTORY 850 — compare on DOF, payload, reach, price, and LeRobot/ROS support, with real US prices and direct buy links.

Looking for a narrow SO-ARM head-to-head? See SO-ARM100 vs SO-ARM101. This guide covers the full range from $343 to $39,000.

Full comparison table

Arm	DOF	Payload	Reach	Repeatability	US price	LeRobot	ROS	Buy
SO-ARM101	6	0.5 kg	~400 mm	±1 mm	$343	Native	ROS2 (community)	SO-ARM101 →
AgileX Piper	6	1.5 kg	626 mm	±0.1 mm	$3,100	Yes	ROS1 + ROS2	Piper →
OpenArm	8	2 kg	~700 mm	±0.5 mm	$6,000	LeRobot v2	ROS2	OpenArm →
OpenArm 2	8	2 kg	~700 mm	±0.5 mm	$7,000	LeRobot v2	ROS2	OpenArm 2 →
UFACTORY xArm 6	6	5 kg	700 mm	±0.1 mm	$12,650	Yes	ROS + ROS2	xArm 6 →
UFACTORY xArm 7	7	3.5 kg	700 mm	±0.1 mm	$14,950	Yes	ROS + ROS2	xArm 7 →
UFACTORY 850	6	5 kg	850 mm	±0.02 mm	$14,100	Yes	ROS + ROS2	850 →
Franka FR3	7	3 kg	855 mm	±0.1 mm	$39,000	Yes	ROS + ROS2	FR3 →

Prices are current US list from Robotics Center; ships from San Francisco, CA. OpenArm dual-arm pair from $6,400. FR3 with Franka Hand and academic license from $39,000. Contact us for volume or lab pricing.

How to choose

Cheapest capable arm for LeRobot or class demos ($343) → SO-ARM101
If you're following the LeRobot tutorials or running a student workshop, the SO-ARM101 is the reference hardware. It's open-source, servo-driven, and has first-class LeRobot dataset support out of the box. Pair two of them for under $700 and you have a bimanual rig. See SO-ARM100 vs SO-ARM101 if you're deciding between generations.

Budget mobile arm or ROS2 starter ($3,100) → AgileX Piper
The Piper is a 6-DOF lightweight arm (4.2 kg) built for mounting on mobile platforms — its reach (626 mm) and 1.5 kg payload make it practical for pick-and-place demos on a rover or AMR. Supports both ROS1 and ROS2, Python API, and AgileX's mobile-manipulator kit. If you're building a mobile manipulator on a budget, start here.

Research teleop and imitation learning ($6,000–7,000) → OpenArm or OpenArm 2
Both OpenArm generations are 8-DOF arms designed specifically for teleoperation data collection and LeRobot v2 integration. The extra two degrees of freedom (vs. a standard 6-axis arm) give you wrist articulation that matters for dexterous tasks. OpenArm 2 adds improvements to wrist design and contact-rich manipulation ergonomics. For bimanual setups, a dual-arm OpenArm pair starts at $6,400.

Mid-range with industrial precision ($12,650–14,950) → UFACTORY xArm 6 / xArm 7 / 850
The xArm family offers 5 kg payload, 700 mm reach, ±0.1 mm repeatability, and a well-supported Python + ROS2 + UFACTORY Studio stack at a fraction of traditional industrial-arm prices. The xArm 7 adds a 7th redundant axis for complex workspace routing. The UFACTORY 850 extends reach to 850 mm with ±0.02 mm repeatability — industrial precision for automation tasks that require it.

Force-controlled manipulation research or policy benchmarking ($39,000) → Franka FR3
The FR3 is the reference platform for a significant share of published manipulation and imitation-learning papers. Torque sensing in all 7 joints, ±0.1 mm repeatability, 855 mm reach, and tight Panda-ecosystem compatibility make it the right call when reproducibility against the literature matters, or when you need compliant contact control that servo or position-only arms cannot provide.

LeRobot & ROS compatibility in detail

All arms in this guide have documented ROS2 support. The distinctions that matter for a data-collection pipeline:

SO-ARM101 — listed as reference hardware in the official LeRobot repository; community ROS2 driver available on GitHub.
OpenArm / OpenArm 2 — built with LeRobot v2 dataset format as the primary output target; ships with data-collection software and wrist camera mount.
AgileX Piper — first-class ROS2 package on GitHub (agilexrobotics/piper_ros); works with LeRobot via ROS2 bridge.
UFACTORY xArm series — official xarm_ros2 package; used widely in academic manipulation papers; Python SDK for scripting.
Franka FR3 — franka_ros2 driver; torque-level access via libfranka; the broadest published baseline coverage of any arm here.

Bimanual setups

If you're building a bimanual teleoperation rig:

Cheapest bimanual — two SO-ARM101 units, $686 total. Works with LeRobot's bimanual scripts.
Research-grade bimanual — OpenArm dual-arm pair from $6,400 (single order, matched build). Add the optional wrist + head camera set ($2,000) for full observational coverage.
High-fidelity bimanual — two Franka FR3 units; full torque sensing on all 14 joints; the standard for policy papers requiring contact-rich bimanual data.

Browse all arms → Evaluate with SVRC → Get help choosing